Latch control for shaft doors



flan. 29,1929. 1,700,557

H. CHERNIACK El' ALv LATCH CONTROL FOR SHAFT DOORS l Filed June 20,1927.

' ATTORNEY Anarran sra-r -HYMAN GHERNIACK, or BROOKLYN, AND SAMUELBRANDFON, orNiivvl YomnN. Y.; f AsAIn GHERNIACK AssIGNon To sAinBRANnro-N.

ing floors.

LATCH coNTRoL ron snArT poorts.

Application led Zl'une 2 0,

waiters,'may serve to be drawnto openingsV provided at each ioor in thenature commonly termed dumbwaiters7 suitable for the delivery ofmerchandise, the collection of garbage and refuse-at regularly appointedtimes or at signals given by the operator, positioned either in thebasement or any other floor of the building, we have found that thesedevices haveproven `a source of considerable annoyance, danger andtrouble by reason of voffering to the .tenant on each floor a means of4disposing of refuse by'sim'ply dumpingthe same into the shaft. Suchpractice has led to an accumulationv of rubbish, garbage and otherrefuse material at the bottom of the shaft,leading to an unhealthfulcondition, Iand also forming a fire hazard, due to a possible impropercollection of materialy at the bottom of the shaft. Furthermore, whereit iscustomarily practiced to cause delivery-of I merchandise orreceptacles through dumbwaiters, there has been experienced eitherfilching or improper-removal of 'articles vas they are delivered in theascending'or ldescending of the lift to various floors connected by acommon shaft through the doors provided at each floor and leading to thecommon shaft. `Furthermore, in the event of fire, a common 'connectingshaft normally serves as a flue for the spread of fire, if vents areprovided, `-as mayl be occasioned by the yopening of a door lleading toa common shaft. Thus, the openingfof a door in the case of fire mayserve 'as a means to fan a controlled fire and cause spreading of thesameto connect- Ain, object', therefore, of our invention resides in theprovision of a latch system for v vshaft doors', such as dumbwaiters orthe like vwhereby individual control ofthe doors leading to the shaftmay be had by a tenant at any predetermined floor only at definiteperiods of time when inthe control of an operator positioned at the pitor top of the shaft; the

i927.vv `serial No. 200,017.

invention contemplates the association of a door or a plurality thereofleading to au shaft c may only open the same for the receipt orMTH*mcsdeposit of material within theshaftopening only when" permittedtodo so byan operator positioned at any predetermined' point, `as at Athe pit or top of the shaft. Y A The invention still further has for, anobject thereof the provision of Vdoors of dumbwaiter shaft incombination with a latching and release mechanism for the doorsleadingto the dumb'waiter shafts controlledfrom ywithin the shaft,.permittingvthe `opening vof said doorsonly at the willof an operator whereby in the`case of its use with dumbwaiters, as in'apartmenthouses, the operatorat the bottomof the -pit may signalwhen the door leading to thedumbwaitershaft may be opened. by the tenant for the vdeposit into thedumbwaiter lift'of rubbish, receptacles or the removal from the shaftofarticles to be delivered, such as merchandise, or for the return ofempty receptacles or the like.

The invention still further has for an object thereofthe' provision ofa' latch control for thedoors leading to dumbwaiter shafts,

the invention contemplating, the lprovision of a'latch or pluralitythereof, in numbers corresponding to the floors connecting a' com- .mondumbwaiter shaft including a latch operable by acable or rope, leading`toa predetermined pont inthe shaft whereby at a given signal from theoperatoigthe tenant at'any" predetermined floor may open the doorleading to the shaft in the normal way. Thus,

we provide a latch system for thedoors leading to the shafts ofdumbwaiters, holding the same closed unless, at the will of theoperator, the latch is releasedto permit the deposit or removalofmaterial intol or from the lift'provided in the dumbwaiter shaft.

Our invention still 'further contemplates the provisionofa latch. systemfor doors of Adumbwaiters or the likewhich may be readily associatedywith duinbwaiters now used, whichmay b-e assembled with great facilityand ease and one whichvis simple andineX'-l pensive to` manufacture.

ioo

To attain these objects and such further objects as may appear hereinorbejhereinafter pointed'out, we make reference tothe accompanyingdrawing forming apart hereof, in Which'- n g Figurel is a side elevationshowing a section Lof a dumbwaiter shaft, with out device serving toclose a series of doors 'leading' to a dumbwaiter shaft;

Figure 2 is a view similartothat shown in Figure 1 with the latchsystemv in the open position; Y

Figure 3 is an enlarged side elevation showing the detail constructionof the latch mechanism;`

. i 'Figure 4 is la view similar yto `that shown in Figure 3 withthelatch in the open position . of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a section taken on a line 5 5 of Figure 43;

`Figurex is anl end elevation taken on a line16-16of Figure v3;

Figure 7 is a sectiontaken on a line 7-7 Makingreferenceto the drawings,it will be observed-that fweliave illustrated our inyventiony asparticularly adaptedfor use with a dumbwaiter shaft, suchiasnowcustomarily used in connection with apartmenthouses for the delivery orcollection of articles, such as lthe delivery ofmerchandise or thecollection ofgarbage Aorsimilarrefuse material. In the Yillustrationshown, 10 isa dumbwaiter shaft viewedfifrom the interior of the shaft,the

section being taken along the length thereof acrossthe side walls 11 and12, disclosingthe innervview of a plurality of doors 13, con- `nectedtothe floorsfof the building, such as an apartment house or the like.These doors are lprovided with hinges 14, permitting 1nward `pivot-almo-vement only and prevented :from movement into theshaftagainst vthejamb orrbead 15. It is lpreferred to ,provide 4thehinges 14 with.suitable springs, insuring a self-closing action rof the door upon thehinges. lnteriorly ofthe Vapartment or fioor Vofthe tenant, we provideacustomary latching device 16 adapted to engage a hasp 17. Thus, the door13'may-be opened inwardly by turningthe knob of the locking device 16ztoV unlatch the door.

Interiorly of the shaft, we provide a latch system for t-hedoorslea'ding thereto and this, so Ifar .as each door is concerned,takes ont-he `form of a latch ,18 mounted upon the frame of the door 19,adapted to engage the plate strike 20 mounted upon the door upon thevedge of the frame 21. In the construction shown, the latch 18 comprisesa back'plate 22 having suitable Afastening orifices 23,

Vthrough which may be passe-d the screwzmembers 24. -Preferablykcentrally of said plate 22 there is formed a boss 25, drilledto receivethe bolt 26 therethrough, and holding Athe-nut 27 thereofagainstturning' within .the opening 28 at the rear portion ofthe ,plateformedby the boss. The bolt 26 serves as a pivot for the bell crankshaped arm 29 and is held against removal therefrom byfthe nut 30. Itwill be observed that substanmovement, as ,provided bythe stopl.

tially free pivotal movement ofthe arm 29 is permitted upon the bolt 26except for a counter clockwise movement which 1s prevented by the stop31 'formedin the path thereof.` The-bell crank shaped arm 29 ispreferably provided with a short operating arm 32, the'free end thereof33 being formed to. engagealoosering*34, which is connected to said freeend by the spaced lugs 35, formed on said loose ring and through whichYthere is passed a pin 36, serving to connectthefree end of the arm 33and the'ring in pivotal relationship. Opposite to the shortfoperatingarm, the bell crank arm .29 has Vformed a latch engaging arm, 37,suihciently long to extend past the door opening and engagethe platestriker20formed `with thevupstanding dog 38 suiiiciently longzto disposeengagement beyond theframe jamb. This-dog is provided at its extreme endwith the-camming surface39, 'for-,purposes which `,will be apparent asthis. description proceeds.l

pit ofthe shaft at '46 and servesito-hold the rope or cablesubstantiallytaut. -A ring 47, attached to the end. of the rope-44, has'passed therethrough ,an operating` lever 48, vlpivoted at 49 at someiiXed platoon vthe wall adjacent the bottom or pit of theshaft. Yrl`hus,.it willbe observed that al downward pull ofthe operating lever48will serveto reciprocate the cable or rope against the tension of thesprings 43 and 45, To each -sidevofthe free, removable vring 34 .andattached `to .the rope thereis,providedring-stops 50 .and 51. Thus,

it will beobserved thatinfupward.reciproca-v` tion ofthe cable or rope.40, the ring stops 50 Y will serveto move the-ring34iupwardly, andkthis movement so rimparted serves to j.carry with thering. thefreeend'of. the frame, 33 imparting a pivotalinovement tofvthefbellcrank arm 29 vto the limitofitscounter clockwise .A downward reciprocalmovement ofthe rope 40 will serve tocause engagementy ofthefring stops.51 against thefree .ring 34carryingthis ring with it inthe continueddownward movementloffthe -lever 48. This 'movement =will servetoimpartto the. bell. crankfarm: a. clockwisefmovement. Thus,.thecableorrope 40 ,may servetomovef the bell crankarm v2.9;tothe `positionshown in .Figure 3, which is v`the closed position, or in Figure 4,which is the llO open figure, merely by reciprocation of the operatinghandle 40.

It will further be observed that in the posii tion shown in Figure 3with the stop ring 50 disposed against the freely movable ring 34,

v the dog 50 may be forced against the resilient lll ' ual tenant fromopening the door leading to the dumbwaiter shaft. Upon the receipt ofsuitable signalling from the operator at the bottomor pit of the shaft,the individual tenant will learn that ythe operator has re leased thelatch by. a downward reciprocal movement of the operating handle 48.Such downward movement will position the latch or latchesif there are aplurality connected by the cable 40, as shown in Figure 2.

tening a door leading to a shaftbeyond the control of a tenant withinthe apartment except at the predetermined will of the operator whocontrols the lever 48. y

The doors, where a plurality of themfare operated, may be independentlyclosed by the simple action of the spring` actuating means, thus theoperator may proceed from one iioor to the other at a time when he hasreleased ythe doors included in one group leading to kthe shaft to thenext floor without waiting for a tenant to attend to the closingoperation of the door. Optionally, however, the operator may reciprocatethe cable to close thelatches as the lift is moved from one door to theother.

Having thus described our invention and illustrated its use, what weclaim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A fastening system for shaft doors such as dumbwaiters or the likecomprising individually operable swinging doors, fastening mechanism forsaid doors accessible only vfrom within said shaft including a` latch onthe frames and a cooperating dog on said doors, a loose cable or ropevengaging inember on said latch anda cable orrope for said memberoperable from a distant point from said member, such as the bottom ofsaid shaft whereby individual opening lof said doors,"

may be had by operation of said cable yand whereby said doors may beclosed independently of each other. V-

2. A fastening system for shaft doors such as dumbwaiters or the likecomprising individually operable swinging,self-closing doors, fasteningmechanism for said doors accessible only from within said shaft acam-faced dog on said doors, a latch on the frames, thereof and aresiliently urged and suspended, reciprocable cable or ropecontrol forsaid latch operable from a distancesuch as lthe pit 'or bottom of saidshaft whereby individual f opening of said doors may be had by operationof said cable and the doors independently closed on `movement of thesaine.

3. `A fastening system for shaft doors such as dumbwaiters or theflikecomprising individually operable swinging doors, fasten- Thus, we haveprovided a system of'fas# ing mechanism for said doors accessible onlyfrom within said shaft including a latch on the frames and aAcooperating dog on saidv V shaft whereby said doors may be individuallyand independently closed and opened.

4. In a` fastening system forsliaft doors, such as duinbwaiters or thelike, shaft fastening mechanism for the doors thereof ac-V cessible fromwithin said shaft, comprising a dogy or strike plate and a cooperatinglatch, adapted to be mounted upon the door and frame respectively, saidlatch including a freely pivotal ring arranged to loosely encircle arope or cable whereby independent movement may be `had along said. ropeor cable. i i

In testimony whereof we have hereunto signed our names this 15th day ofJ une, 1927.

